Cui bono?: Exploring the exchanges between universities, students and external partners (Advert Reference: SF19/BL/LAW/HALL)

Clinical and experiential modules in Higher Education are designed to meet the complex needs of students - who need to absorb complex knowledge, disciplinary skills and graduate attributes - and employers – who need students fluent in the current lingua franca of the profession as well as equipped with both transferrable skills and flexibility to meet the pace of change. Clinical programmes and knowledge exchange partnerships are considered to be virtuous cycles of benefit to student, university and external partner and they are both an area of growth in the sector and an area of interest for Research England and the Office for Students, necessitating a critical examination of these exchanges. This doctoral study will consider the nature of the various actors and key considerations underpinning each position. The research design will focus upon one or more of the complex and dynamic relationships (e.g.) between student need and curriculum design; between knowledge exchange and professional boundaries; between institution risk and commercial sensitivity; between the economic and social missions. The doctoral study will critically examine the explicit and implicit contracts between the actors and assess the nature and impact of the exchanges.

Northumbria has internationally leading clinical educational provision in which students and academics work together on real inquiry projects with external partners. Students receive academic credit and achieve core graduate learning outcomes and external partners receive tangible benefits through Knowledge Exchange resolving real issues. Working in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team engaged in Knowledge Exchange research, the candidate will also contribute to the exploration of impact within the larger project in one or more of the following areas: exploration and mapping of communication networks between and within partner organisations; transfer of skills and translation of experience into employability by current students; resilience and lifelong learning behaviours of graduates from these programmes.

This project is supervised by Professor Elaine Hall.

Eligibility and How to Apply:

Please note eligibility requirement:
• Academic excellence of the proposed student i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities [preference for 1st class honours]); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement.
• Appropriate IELTS score, if required.

For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/

Please note: Applications that do not include a research proposal of approximately 1,000 words (not a copy of the advert), or that do not include the advert reference (e.g. SF19/…) will not be considered.

Northumbria University takes pride in, and values, the quality and diversity of our staff. We welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds an Athena SWAN Bronze award in recognition of our commitment to improving employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.